Do any of you know offhand what the soil PH should be for these cole family plants? This summer was such a colossal wash out I'm trying to plant a bigger than usual area in fall plants instead of the usual wheat or red clover.

And on an unrelated note: belated "thank you" to Vicky and others who advised me to look for a cabinet incubator from a busted Emu raiser. It took me four months to find one here in the Rain Capital of the Known Universe, but I finally found one.

And in another unrelated matter, I'm sorry to see Hoot stop posting. Maybe while he is recuperating, some of you can take up the mantle of rural storyteller and raconteur. Think of some of your most interesting homesteading experiences and tell us about them.

Once again, in honor of Hoot, my scripture refernce-- I Kings 9:30-35

-- Rags (RaggedReb@aol.com), September 10, 2001

Answers

I'm hoping someone else knows. The only thing I really like is broccoli and I have had so so luck with it. Maybe my ph is off.

Congrats on your incubator!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), September 10, 2001.

I don't know about pH, but here's something I learned last summer.....the leaves on a brussel sprout plants are delicious!! They are the best greens I've ever tasted, nice and mild. I'll grow 'em just for the leaves!

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), September 11, 2001.

You must be right about Brussel sprout leaves tasting good, Cathy, because a rabbit has eaten 40 of my B.sprout plants right down to the ground. I've got a Kuvasz chained along the north fence and two more running loose in hopes of eating Mr. Bunny down to the ground tonight.

Another fall plant that is surprisingly good tasting is beet greens-- they taste like the best spinach you ever tasted. I don't care much for beets themselves, but the greens are fantastic.

-- Rags (RaggedReb@aol.com), September 15, 2001.

I used to turn my nose up at beets. I guy I used to work for fixed me beets for dinner and cooked them just like potatoes in the microwave they were really great! Non of that pickled stuff.

-- Stephanie Nosacek (possumliving@go.com), September 19, 2001.